Scenes in film 'Innocence of Muslims' blocked on Web: Police

Mumbai, Oct 10: The Cyber Crime Investigation cell of Mumbai police's Crime Branch today informed the

that on police's request video-sharing portal YouTube (a

subsidiary) had blocked "objectionable scenes" in the controversial anti-Islam film '

'.

However, YouTube could not provide the IP addresses from where the film was uploaded as addresses were located outside India, said inspector Ravi Sardesai in his affidavit on a petition seeking removal of the film from the Internet.

For this, the process of Letter Rogatory was being initiated (whereby assistance of foreign judicial system is sought), he said.

Additional Solicitor General Kevic Setalvad, who represented the Union Government, sought time to file his reply. So the matter was adjourned to Oct 17 by Justice Sharad Bobade and Justice Rajesh Ketkar.

Cyber Crime Cell says in the affidavit that it is closely monitoring Internet sites and taking utmost efforts to ensure that such objectionable content is deleted or blocked.

The film, made in USA, recently sparked off violent protests in the middle-east and also in Pakistan.

The PIL by local Congress member Ameen Mustafa Idrisi also demands criminal action against top officers of Google for letting the film that hurt the religious feelings of Muslims across the world to be online.

The police also state in the affidavit that a criminal case has been registered on the complaint filed by advocate Zulfikar Majid Memon regarding ten links on the Internet to the film.

The film, directed by US-based Sam Bacile, portrays the life of the Prophet Mohammad in an objectionable way and hurts the religious sentiments of Muslims, Advocate Memon's complaint says.

Bacile produced the film and uploaded the video links on the Web only to hurt the sentiments of the community, it adds.

PTI